Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting threatens action over ABC over Race Around The World segment

Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart has formally placed the ABC on notice over a Race Around The World episode where a contestant made a satirical video fantasising about committing an act of sexualised violence on the billionaire mining magnate.

Her company Hancock Prospecting has informed the ABC board it had taken legal action over the July 12 episode featuring filmmaker Kate McGuinness that was still on the national broadcaster’s website on Friday.

“Hancock called upon the ABC to immediately remove the material from ABC platforms, publicly apologise to Mrs Rinehart, and undertake a comprehensive investigation into how the material came to be commissioned, approved and published, together with full accountability for those responsible,” it said in a statement on Friday.

“One week has now elapsed. The ABC’s Board and senior management have provided no substantive public response, nor any substantive response to Hancock or Mrs Rinehart, and have take no steps to remove the material from ABC platforms, despite widespread public condemnation and the serious risks its publication and continued publication pose to Mrs Rinehart.”

Hancock Prospecting, where Mrs Rinehart is executive chairman, has given legal notice to ABC chairman Kim Williams, deputy chair Lisa Caffery and managing director Hugh Marks alleging the ABC had breached multiple Australian criminal and civil laws by continuing to publish that segment.

The mining company’s legal notice was announced a day after Ms McGuinness asked the ABC to share a statement on her behalf apologising for her four-minute skit of “A Very Relaxing Video” describing a revolution where a stick is shoved “right up Gina Rinehart’s butthole, stirring it round, mixing her guts up nice and smooth, making her into one big, sausage roll”.

“The sense of humour featured in each of my films on the Race Around The World program is farcical,” she said.

“In no way was it my intention to promote violence. My writing is cartoonish and always satirical.

“Unfortunately, jokes do not land with everyone. Its purpose was never to be taken literally. I apologise to anyone I’ve offended.”

Communications Minister Anika Wells on Wednesday backed the ABC referring that segment to the ABC’s independent Ombudsman for review.

“My personal view is it’s unacceptable. Like any Australian, there’s stuff I see on TV that I don’t agree with,” she said.

“As the Minister for Communications, I respect the editorial independence of the ABC, but I understand they have now referred it to the Ombudsman. I think that was the right thing to do.”

This was hours after former ABC chairman Maurice Newman told The Nightly that segment needed to be investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

“I would have thought ACMA have to do something about this because this is, without any question, counter to what we are expecting in respectable discourse from a properly regulated broadcaster,” Mr Newman said.

“The original clip or sketch which I saw, goes out under the heading of ‘satirical’ — under any decent measurement, disgusting, and it was actually inciting violence against this woman.”

The Race Around The World episode was broadcast a week before Insiders broadcast Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young mocking the appearance of Mrs Rinehart in a Sicilian pool, without being criticised by presenter Patricia Karvelas.

“I saw that . . . One of those images you don’t want in your head,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office has this week condemned that Race Around The World segment.

“The ABC has legislated editorial independence and is fully accountable for what it puts to air,” a spokesman said.

“The Government does not condone the video.

“Understandably many Australians will have found the broadcast inappropriate, offensive and in poor taste.”